Peru - Cheap Holidays from Co-op Travel

Peru Travel Guide

Peru is a large country on the Pacific coast of South America, encompassing a desert coastline, tropical rainforest and soaring mountains, each with distinct environments. These offer an exceptional opportunity for travellers to experience a variety of landscapes, an abundance of wildlife, a rich history and archaeological heritage, and the vivacious character of durable native cultures, all within one nation.Fishing villages, fine beaches, agricultural lands, and Peru's major towns and cities, including the capital of Lima, are interspersed along the narrow belt of desert coastline that stretches the length of the country. The lush Amazon Basin takes up half of Peru and is an ecologically rich area of tropical rainforest that encompasses some of the world's most remote and least explored areas, sparsely populated and for the most part, inaccessible. Separating the coastal desert from the jungle is the splendid Andes mountain range, an endless chain of soaring peaks over 22,000 feet (7,000m) high, and home to millions of indigenous highland people, speaking the ancient Inca language of Quechua, and living in traditional villages with steeply terraced agricultural fields, with their wandering herds of llamas and alpacas.An interesting history of ancient civilisations, tales of lost cities, undiscovered treasures, and unsolved mysteries make Peru one of the most exciting countries to visit. Travellers can marvel at the sophistication of pre-Colombian cultures and explore the many legacies left by the imperial Inca Empire, particularly the ancient Inca capital of Cuzco. Hiking along the legendary ancient royal Inca highway brings visitors to the awesome, majestic 'Lost City of the Incas', Machu Picchu. Boats transport tourists to the unique floating islands and the traditional world of the island people on Lake Titicaca. Travellers can wander around splendid colonial cities that have preserved their Spanish architecture, look into the depths of the world's deepest canyon, and contemplate the intriguing mystery of the Nazca Lines.Peru, 'Land of the Incas', offers a stimulating and rewarding travel experience and is one of the most diverse and exhilarating of the South American destinations.

Peru Travel Guide

Need To Know

Money:

The official currency is Nuevo Sol (PEN) divided into 100 céntimos. Visa is the most widely accepted credit card, but all major international credit cards, including Diners Club and MasterCard, are accepted in many, but not all, establishments. Outside Lima facilities may be more limited. Travellers cheques may also be difficult to exchange in small towns and villages, and travellers are advised to have cash on hand. US Dollars are the easiest currency to exchange and plenty of restaurants, hotels and shops in the main cities accept dollars for payment. Casas de cambio(exchange bureaux) often give better rates than hotels and banks and can be found in any town on the tourist circuit. ATMs are available in the main cities.

Time:

Local time is GMT -5.

Electricity:

Electrical current is 220 volts, 60Hz (Arequipa 50Hz). Two-pin, flat blade and round plugs are standard.

Language:

Spanish and Quechua are the official languages, but many other dialects are spoken. English is spoken only in major tourist centres and hotels.

Health:

There are several health issues to consider for travel to Peru. Those entering the country from an infected area require a yellow fever certificate, and outbreaks of yellow fever do occur; vaccination is recommended but is not necessary for Lima, Cuzco or Machu Picchu. No other vaccinations are officially required but visitors are advised to take precautions especially if planning to travel to jungle regions. Immunisation against typhoid is sensible. Malaria is a risk all year round in the lowland areas, except for Lima and the coastal regions to the south, and dengue fever is on the increase. There have been a number of incidents of rabies transmitted by bites from vampire bats in the Madre de Dios and Puno provinces, and near the border with Ecuador; visitors are advised to have a course of rabies injections and not to sleep in the open. Chagas' disease, Cholera and cases of the plague do occur. The most common ailments for travellers are diarrhoea and altitude sickness. Drink only bottled water, avoid drinks with ice, and be wary of food bought from street vendors. Health care is good in the major cities (better at private clinics than at public hospitals) but is expensive; health insurance is essential. Screening for HIV is inadequate and visitors should avoid blood transfusions.

Tipping:

Some restaurants add a service charge of between 5% and 10%, which will be indicated by the words propinaor servicionear the bottom of the bill. Even if service charge has been added the waiter can be offered an additional 10% for exceptional service; this is also the going rate for tipping where service charge has not been added. In hotels porters expect about US$0.50 per bag. Taxi drivers are not tipped (the fare should be set before departure). Tour guides are customarily tipped.

Safety:

Safety in Peru is improving. Thieves are the biggest problem; be especially cautious in crowded areas, on public transport, in bus and train stations, and in the centre of Lima at night. Special care should be taken in the cities of Lima and Cuzco against street and violent crime. There have been attacks on foreigners trekking in the Huayhuash region near Huaraz and trekkers should be cautious and seek advice before setting out. Thieves and muggers also operate in Huaraz and Arequipa. Women should take particular care to only take taxis that have been pre-booked by a hotel or official company, and travellers arriving at Lima International Airport should be wary of thieves posing as taxi drivers or tour operators. There has been an increase in the number of crimes associated with taxis in the main cities. Visitors should avoid all political gatherings and demonstrations as these have the potential for violence.

Customs:

Do not take photographs of anything to do with the military. Homosexuality, although legal, is frowned upon. Visitors should avoid wearing any native Indian clothing as this will be seen as insulting, regardless of intention.

Business:

Business in Peru centres on the capital, Lima. Business is usually conducted in a formal and somewhat conservative manner, and it is worth noting that a business visa is needed from a local Peruvian Consulate. Dress should be formal, with suits and ties the norm. Titles and surnames are usually used upon greeting, and handshakes are standard for men and women. Business cards are usually exchanged and it is useful to have them printed in Spanish on one side. Although English is fairly common, it will be an advantage to have business materials translated into Spanish; an effort to speak Spanish will be well received. Women may encounter some sexism. Punctuality is important, although meetings are not likely to begin on time. Business hours can vary but are usually from 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday. Some businesses can close for siesta from 1pm to 3pm.

Duty Free:

Travellers to Peru over 15 years old do not have to pay duty on 400 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 50g of tobacco; 2kg of food; 3 bottles of alcoholic beverages not exceeding 2.5 litres; and gifts to the value of US$300. Items such as sausages, salami, ham and cheese may only be brought in if accompanied by an original sanitary certificate. The import of ham from Italy and Portugal is prohibited. The export of cultural or artistic items from the country is not permitted.

Communications:

The international access code for Peru is +51, and the outgoing code is 00, followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the UK). City/area codes are in use, e.g. (0)1) for Lima. A mobile phone operator provides a GSM 1900 network with coverage limited to major towns and cities. Peru is well connected to the Internet with a proliferation of inexpensive Internet kiosks, called cabinas pública,available on street corners in most towns and cities.

Peru Travel Guide

Peru Attractions

Plaza Mayor and Plaza San Martin

Description:

A long pedestrian street crowded with shoppers, vendors and sightseers connects Lima's two main plazas to each other. The heart of the old town is centred on the striking Plaza Mayor, or Plaza de Armas, gracefully colonial with its bronze fountain and old street lamps. It was once the central marketplace, where bullfights were held during Spanish rule. Surrounding the square are several notable buildings, including the grand Spanish Baroque Cathedral, occupying the site of an ancient Inca temple and housing the Museum of Religious Art and Treasures; the impressive Government Palace where the changing of the guard takes place; the Town Hall; and the Archbishop's Palace sporting a beautiful wooden balcony. The Plaza San Martin is an impressive square with a hive of activity surrounding its central fountains; a busy area of shoe-shiners, soapbox speakers, street artists and the site for political rallies and rioting workers.

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Jr. Junin and Jr. Carabaya

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Museo de la Nación (National Museum)

Description:

The superb anthropological and archaeological National Museum contains excellent exhibits tracing the history of Peru's ancient civilisations and provides an outstanding overview of the archaeological richness of the country. It is the city's largest and the country's most important museum and the chronological layout guides visitors easily through the complicated ancient history, highlighting the many conquering cultures and their achievements, from the art and history of the original inhabitants to the Inca Empire.

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Avenida Javier Prado Este 2465, San Borja

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(0)1 476 9878

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Museo de Oro del Peru (Gold Museum)

Description:

Housed in a fortress-like building are the safe-rooms crammed with treasures from the Inca civilisation and their predecessors. The massive collection of gleaming gold, ceremonial objects and jewellery compete for attention, and the famous golden Tumi, the symbol of Peru, has been exhibited around the world. The rest of the museum is just as interesting with thousands of exquisite tapestries, pre-Incan weapons and wooden staffs, masks, mummies, and clothing. There is also a vast display of antique weapons and uniforms, a reminder of Peru's violent past.

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Avenida Alonso de Molina 1100, Monterrico

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(0)1 345 1271, 345 1292 or 345 1787

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www.museoroperu.com.pe

Museo Rafael Larco Herrera

Description:

The 18th century colonial-style museum houses the largest and most impressive ceramic collection in the world, with about 55,000 pre-Colombian clay pots on display. The collection concentrates on the refined ceramics of the Moche Dynasty, the people who lived along the northern coast of Peru between 200 and 700 AD. The Moche culture is recognized as accomplishing one of the greatest imaginative languages of ancient Peru through the use of creative pottery, providing clues to all aspects of their civilization without the use of the written word. One can learn about their religion, agriculture, transport, dance and music through their ceramic designs and shapes. The Moche are also renowned for their fascinating erotic pottery and the famous collection is on display in the separate 'Erotic Hall', depicting sexual practices of several Peruvian cultures in a lifelike, explicit and often humorous way.

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1515 Avenida Bolivar, Pueblo Libre

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(0)1 461 1312 or 461 1835

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www.museolarco.org

Church of San Francisco

Description:

The most spectacular of Lima's colonial churches, San Francisco is a striking white and yellow building with twin towers and a stone façade. It was one of the few buildings to survive the devastation of the 1746 earthquake and is famous for its underground catacombs that contain the bones and skulls of an estimated 70,000 people. The interior of the church has arches and columns decorated with beautiful mosaic tiles and an exquisitely carved Moorish-style wooden ceiling above the staircase leading to the cloisters. The church also contains a superb 17th-century library with thousands of antique texts and a room containing painted masterpieces by Reubens, Van Dyck and Jordaens.

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Corner of Lampa and Ancash Avenues

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Pisco

Description:

Pisco is a small port and fishing village, best known for its fiery white grape brandy of the same name. It also boasts the origins of one of the major ancient civilisations in Peru, the Paracas culture, who left an astounding collection of antiquities that are displayed in the museums of Lima. The area is primarily visited as a base to see the wildlife of the nearby Paracas National Reserve, home to an incredible variety and huge concentration of marine animals and birds. Locals proudly proclaim it to be the 'Peruvian Galapagos', and the main focus of a visit to the reserve is a boat tour of the Ballestas Islands. The islands are off limits to people but the boat tours afford spectacular close up views of the wildlife. The rocks are alive with thousands of migratory and resident sea birds, including pelicans, flamingos, penguins, cormorants, red boobies and terns. Huge colonies of barking sea lions line the shores, and turtles, dolphins and sometimes whales are seen in the surrounding waters. En route to the islands boats pass the famous Candelabra, a gigantic trident-shaped drawing etched into the sandstone cliffs overlooking the bay, and like the drawings at Nazca, its origins remain a mystery.

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Pisco is 150 miles (95km) south of Lima

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The Nazca Lines

Description:

Nazca is a small desert town, named for the Nazca civilisation that came after the Paracas culture, and it is a major attraction due to the mysterious presence of the lines and diagrams etched into the surrounding desert floor. It also has some interesting museums and archaeological sites, including the Chauchilla Cemetery, with 12 exposed underground tombs containing skeletons and preserved mummified forms. The main attraction of the town is an aerial flight over the Nazca Lines that are spread over miles of the vast desert floor. The dimensions of these enormous figures, geometric designs, spirals and perfectly straight lines are so large that the only way to view them is from the air and pilots will point out the outlines of intriguing bird and animal representations such as the hummingbird, monkey, condor, spider, and the unusual cartoon-like character known as the Astronaut. These figures were made by removing sun-darkened stones from the desert floor to expose the lighter coloured stones below, and were created over a thousand years ago. Theories abound regarding the mysterious desert etchings, and questions as to why they were created, how they were designed and what technology was used, remain unanswered and have puzzled experts for centuries. The Nazca Lines are among the most unforgettable and strangest sights in the country, an extraordinary legacy left by the ancient people of the Nazca culture, and one of the great mysteries of South America.

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Nazca is a few miles in from the coast, 280 miles (175km) southeast of Lima

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Plaza de Armas

Description:

The graceful main square, Plaza de Armas, is lined with colonial-style covered walkways and houses that contain souvenir shops, restaurants, bars and travel agencies. The large Cathedral is the most prominent structure overlooking the square and is adjoined to a church on either side, the Iglesia Jesus María and Iglesia El Triunfo. Inside is the elaborately carved wooden altar, covered in gold and silver plate, and the carved wooden choir stalls that are acclaimed to be the finest in the country. Also of interest is the painting The Last Supper, which portrays Jesus and his disciples gathered around the table, on which a central platter of the local Inca delicacy, 'cuy' or roasted guinea pig, is placed. Also on the plaza is La Compañía, one of Cuzco's most ornately decorated churches, often floodlit at night. The streets and alleys around the plaza are filled with colour and bustling handicraft stalls. The historic pedestrian alleyway of Loreto, leading away from the plaza, is lined with Inca stone walls.

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Coricancha Inca Ruins

Description:

Coricancha is a Quechua word meaning 'Golden Courtyard', but the Inca stonework is all that remains of the ancient Temple of the Sun, which was the most important temple in the Inca Empire, dedicated primarily to Inti, the Sun God. The walls and floors were once covered in sheets of solid gold, and the courtyard was filled with golden statues. Spanish reports tell of its opulence that was 'fabulous beyond belief'. The Church of Santo Domingo was built on the site, using the ruined foundations of the temple that was flattened by the gold-hungry Spanish in the 17th century, and is a fine example of where Inca stonework has been incorporated into the structure of a colonial building. Major earthquakes have severely damaged the church, but the Inca stone walls, built out of huge, tightly-interlocking blocks of stone, still stand as a testimony to their superb architectural skills and sophisticated stone masonry. Nearby is an underground archaeological site museum containing a number of interesting pieces, including mummies, textiles and sacred idols.

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Pampa del Castillo at Plazoleta Santo Domingo

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Sacsayhuamán

Description:

Of the four ruins near Cuzco, Sacsayhuamán is the closest and the most remarkable. Its proximity to Cuzco and the dimensions of its stones caused it to be used as a quarry by the Spanish conquistadors, providing building material for their colonial buildings in the city below. The complex suffered such destruction by the Spanish conquistadors that little is known about the actual purpose these magnificent buildings served, but it is usually referred to as a fortress, constructed with high, impenetrable walls, although it is also believed to have been a ceremonial or religious centre. The ruins cover an enormous area, but only about 20 percent of the original complex remains and are a fine example of extraordinary Inca stone masonry. It is estimated the complex took 100 years to build, using thousands of men in its construction, the massive blocks of stone fitting together perfectly without the aid of mortar, one weighing over 300 tonnes and standing 16ft (5m) tall. The magnificent centre was the site of the infamous bloody battle between the Spanish and the Inca people in 1536 that left thousands of the native people dead, providing food for the circling condors, and ever since the Cuzco Coat of Arms has featured eight condors in memory of the event. Today it holds the annual celebrations of Cuzco's most important festival, Inti Raymi, the sun festival, a spectacular and colourful affair that re-enacts the Inca winter solstice festival every June.

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The Sacred Valley (Urubamba River Valley)

Description:

Known as the Sacred Valley of the Incas, this fertile valley of breathtaking beauty, stretching between the villages of Pisac and Ollantaytambo, is coursed by the winding Urubamba River, watched over by ancient Inca ruins perched high on the hilltops above, and sprinkled with little traditional settlements in between. Centrally situated Urubamba has the most tourist infrastructure and is becoming a popular base from which to explore the valley. The most well known sites are the citadel above Pisac and the fortress of Ollantaytambo, which receive the most visitors. The quaint village of Pisac is known for its interesting Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday morning markets, while overlooking the village are the ruins of the citadel, with its fine stonework and panoramic views over the valley. Agricultural terraces flank the steep sides of the mountain and have been in use for many centuries, and above them the alarmingly narrow trails that lead to the citadel hug the cliffs, with massive stone doorways, and steep stairways cut into the rock or a rock-hewn tunnel forming the only passageway between the sheer drop below and the vertical slopes above. At the far end of the Sacred Valley, the road terminates at the ancient traditional town of Ollantaytambo, where the temple-fortress clings to the nearby cliffs. Developed as an Inca administrative centre, the town's layout is one of the few remaining models of an Inca grid plan and the existing town is built on the remaining Inca foundations. The ruins include the Temple of the Sun, the Royal Chamber and the Princess' Baths. From the town the road leads to the start of the illustrious Inca Trail.

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Chan Chan

Description:

In the 15th century, Chan Chan was a huge city, the largest in pre-Colombian America. The capital of the Chimu Kingdom, the civilization fell to the Incas not long after. What remains of this vast adobe city outside of Trujillo is an archaeological site consisting of ten walled citadels. Chan Chan was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986, and there are a number of tours to choose from.

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Moche Valley, outside Trujillo

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www.chanchan.gob.pe

Machu Picchu

Description:

The ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu is regarded as the most significant archaeological site in South America and one of the finest examples of landscape architecture in the world. Nestled high in the towering Andes Mountains on a saddle between two peaks is this most spectacular and enthralling of Inca citadels, 'The Lost City of the Incas'. Totally concealed from below it escaped destruction by the Spanish, and was only discovered by the western world in 1911 when an American explorer stumbled across the thickly overgrown ruins in their majestic setting high in the clouds. Surrounded by steep agricultural terraces and grazing llamas, the ruins consist of a central plaza, a sacred ceremonial area with intricately carved temples and royal tombs, palaces, stairways and perfectly balanced archways, towers, food storehouses, ornate fountains and water canals. Highlights of the site include one of the most famous Inca constructions, the sacred Temple of the Sun, with its distinctive round tapering tower and the centre stone that is illuminated by the rays of the sun every winter solstice. Huayna Picchu forms a dramatic backdrop to the city and a treacherously steep stone trail leads to a platform offering dizzy views of the city below and a sweeping panorama of the surrounding mountains and forests. Despite the continuous hordes of tourists the ancient Inca citadel preserves its sense of mystery and majesty, especially in the quieter hours after sunrise and before sunset, when the light and wispy strands of mist create an aura of isolated majesty.

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www.machupicchu.org

Santa Catalina Monastery

Description:

Enclosed within high walls is the Santa Catalina Monastery, an enormous complex of rooms, pretty little plazas and ornate fountains, a maze of narrow cobbled streets, chapels, beautifully decorated archways and boxes of red geraniums. The thick and brightly painted walls contain numerous cells that once housed over 200 members of the female nobility who chose to shut themselves away from the rest of the world in a life devoted entirely to prayer. Some 400 years later the monastery was opened to the world and since then visitors have been able to wander through the exquisitely finished gates and admire the valuable collection of some of the finest examples of existing Spanish American religious art that decorate the walls.Today, about 30 resident nuns live out of sight in the northern part of the complex. Noteworthy is the Orange Tree Cloister, painted a sky-blue with beautiful murals decorating the vaulted arches, as well as the huge 17th-century kitchen with its blackened walls, and the long and narrow street known as Calle Toledo, which is the oldest part of the monastery and leads to the open air laundry where the nuns washed their clothes in large jugs filled from the canal. Unlike any other church compound, Santa Catalina is a masterpiece of colonial architecture, and is the most fascinating religious complex in Peru.

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Santa Catalina 301

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(0)54 608 282

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www.santacatalina.org.pe

Museo Santuarios Andinos (Museum of Andean Sanctuaries)

Description:

This small museum's most famous attraction is the 600 year old frozen body of Juanita, the young Inca girl who was discovered in near-perfect condition on top of the Ampato Volcano in 1995. She was killed as a sacrificial offering to the mountain gods and buried in a tomb with a number of funeral offerings that are also on display in the museum, along with other ice mummies found on the mountain. The body was encased in ice and preserved by the freezing temperatures on the 20,000-foot (6,000m) peak for hundreds of years, and was found after a volcanic eruption melted the ice and exposed the tomb. The Ice Maiden is displayed in a refrigerated glass case, and analysis of her DNA has afforded great insights into the Inca culture. An interesting video documents the discovery and is included as part of the compulsory tour.

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Santa Catalina 210

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(0)54 200 345

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The Colca Canyon

Description:

The most popular excursion from Arequipa is to the Colca Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in the world, and twice the depth of Arizona's Grand Canyon. The Colca valley is extremely picturesque, dominated by huge mountains, with little villages and a distinctive traditional dress, lively market places and grand churches, green agricultural terraces hugging the hillsides and herds of wandering llamas. The Crux del Condor Lookout is the most popular viewing point and also the best place to see giant condors soaring on incredible wingspans above the dramatic depths of the canyon below. Many people stay in the quaint market town of Chivay, three hours from Arequipa, with a good range of accommodation, restaurants and bus services, and an excellent base from which to explore the region at leisure. There are many hiking opportunities in the surrounding hills and energetic travellers can hike down to the bottom of the canyon and overnight in one of the tiny Indian settlements below.

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Ayacucho

Description:

Located high in the mountains of the Southern Sierra regions, Ayacucho has been closed off to the rest of the world for the last two decades. In the 1980s, an extremist group known as Sendero Luminoso(The Shining Path) took over the town as their base and held power for more than two decades. Only recently liberated, Ayaucho is an unknown gem in Peruvian tourism. A quaint colonial town with a number of pretty churches, Ayachuco is a great shopping destination, as many Peruvian souvenirs are made here. The best time to visit Ayacucho is around Easter, when the city's carnival celebrations are in full swing.

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Baños del Inca

Description:

The Incan Baths are natural hot springs located the town of Baños del Inca, roughly three miles (5km) east of Cajamarca. The ruins of Incan baths are still visible; however the town is centred around a modern spa that uses the thermal springs to draw its water. The water contains a surprising number of minerals, and the baths are used as a homeopathic treatment for some bone diseases.

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3 miles (5km) east of Cajamarca

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Peru Travel Guide

Need To Know

Peru Attractions

Holiday Types

Services